Missing teeth can affect your smile, self-esteem, and overall personality if you are not careful. Learning about the available treatment options helps you make the best decision that restores your dental functions as well as your confidence, and gives you a chance to smile more and better. Call Broadway Family Dental today and schedule your consultation with Dr. Ella Dekhtyar to figure out whether dental bridges are the right fit for replacing your missing teeth. She will examine your mouth carefully, assess the gaps in your mouth, and determine if a dental bridge will work for you. She uses the most advanced techniques and the highest quality dental care to ensure you get the best results.
Losing a tooth to decay, trauma or any medical condition is not unusual. Not only do you need to come to terms with how your smile looks, but eating, speaking, and even drinking become a challenge. Dental bridges replace teeth you have lost due to decay or trauma and offer a fantastic way to fill gaps in your mouth.
Bridges are affordable yet effective devices for regaining lost teeth. They use the teeth on either side of the gap to support them. With a bridge, you can restore confidence in your appearance, improve your speaking ability, and chew and bite easily.
What Is a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is a dental restoration device that replaces missing teeth in the mouth. Made from resin or porcelain, it consists of one or more artificial teeth that fill the space in your mouth with natural-looking teeth.
A bridge is connected to crowns that anchor the device to natural teeth. Also known as a filler, false teeth, or a partial denture, a bridge works by taking support from the adjacent natural teeth to replace missing teeth. The crown may cover two or more teeth to properly secure the bridge and hold the artificial tooth in place. If your natural teeth are not available, the dentist may recommend implanting teeth on either side to hold the bridge in place.
Dental bridges are essential in patients with gaps as they offer practical and aesthetic benefits, allowing full functionality of your mouth. Ahead of the procedure, the dentist prepares the supporting teeth so the crowns fit comfortably over them.
When to Get a Dental Bridge?
A dental bridge is ideal for people who lose their teeth due to gum disease, aging, tooth decay, or injury.
In rare cases, some people are born with missing teeth as a result of cognitive disorders, which can affect their overall appearance and how they smile. Dental bridges save you from feeling self-conscious and cover the gaps in your mouth.
They restore your looks and dental function and help you smile better.
What to Expect during Installation?
The dentist will examine your teeth to determine if you qualify for a dental bridge. You will need to have some healthy teeth on either side of the missing tooth that needs to be replaced.
Once the dentist has determined a dental bridge is the best solution to replace your missing teeth, they will begin by preparing the anchor or abutment teeth. It is an important step as abutment teeth provide anchorage and support for dental crowns. The entire process is performed under local anesthesia so that you don’t feel any pain or discomfort.
During the second appointment, the dentist will set the bridge into place. It may feel bulky or heavy initially, but this feeling will subside as you get used to it. The dentist will call you for a follow-up exam to check the condition of your newly installed dental bridge and make any adjustments, if needed, to ensure it continues to function right.
Here are some important things you should know before considering dental bridges to replace one or more missing teeth.
1. Cleaning and Care
Follow your dentist’s instructions regarding cleaning and caring for your dental bridge. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush for two minutes every day to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. Flossing is also very necessary to prevent dental issues.
When flossing with a bridge, make sure to floss around the natural teeth, in addition to moving the floss between the base of the bridge and the gum tissue to remove food debris and avoid the accumulation of plaque and tartar. You can also use an interdental brush and water flosser, for more effective cleaning and maintain healthy, clean teeth for years.
2. Costs and Insurance Coverage
Getting a dental bridge is not only easy but also a very affordable option for replacing missing teeth. The best thing is that most dental insurance providers cover their costs, which means you can look forward to getting a healthy, beautiful smile without worrying about costs. On average, a dental bridge may cost between $500 to $1,200 per tooth, depending on the dental clinic you visit or the city you live in.
Your dentist will guide you regarding the costs and the dental insurance they accept.
3. Dental Bridges Are Not a Permanent Solution
While they may seem to be a long-term solution and even last for decades if cared for the right way, dental bridges are not a permanent solution. You can keep the dental bridge intact by avoiding chewing gum, hard foods like nuts, ice, and hard candies, and maintaining excellent oral hygiene.
Regular visits to your dentist can help to keep your bridge in good shape and detect if anything is not right. Remember, they may last for years, but they will not last forever. Talk to your dentist if you are looking for a more permanent solution for your missing tooth.
4. There Are Other Options for Replacing Missing Teeth
If you are searching for a more permanent way to replacing your missing teeth, dental implants are a good option. With fewer limitations and plenty of benefits, implants can last for a lifetime and look and function just like a natural tooth.
The best thing about getting an implant is that it places less burden on the surrounding teeth while promoting bone structure and gum health. High-quality implants are not only more aesthetically pleasing but also last forever.
5. They Do Not Prevent Gum and Bone Loss
If you are missing one or more teeth, the bone, and tissue that once supported that tooth is no longer stimulated, and it slowly begins to degrade. As the dental bridge is not connected to the bone and tissue like a natural tooth, it can lead to gum and bone loss in the long run.
Benefits of Dental Bridges
Tooth loss can have a significant impact on your overall oral health and not just your gums. Not only do you lose gum tissue, but the jaw bone also begins to weaken around the area where your tooth used to be. It can cause the teeth to shift in the mouth, moving into the space.
A dental bridge gives you a chance to eat better, look good, and smile more confidently by restoring the missing tooth with a natural-looking artificial tooth. It fills the space in your mouth and prevents the sunk-in facial appearance that usually occurs with missing teeth. It also improves speech, which often worsens due to gaps in the mouth.
Modern dentistry offers the best solutions to replace your missing teeth and gives you a chance to restore the look and function of your teeth with a dental bridge. Whether you need to replace a dental bridge or are considering getting a new one, Dr. Ella Dekhtyar offers the best guidance. Call Broadway Family Dental and schedule an appointment with our board-certified dentist and expert dental team to find out which option will work best for replacing the missing teeth in your mouth and restoring your smile most effectively. Dr. Dekhtyar discusses all treatment options and ensures you understand how dental bridges work and what you can do to enjoy long-term oral health with them.
Broadway Family Dental
1152 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11221
(Bushwick, Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant)
(718) 455-4400